Mechanical despatch apparatus



L. BELLANI.

MECHANICAL DESPATCH APPARATUS.

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L BELLANI MECHANICAL DESFATCH APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24`l |918, 1,371,723. I Patented Mar. 15,1921.

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Norus PErEns. INC.. Lima.. wAsnlNL-.Tu

L. BELLANI. MECHANICAL DEsPATcH APPARATUS.

narran stares LUIGI BELLANI, or MILAN, ITALY.

MECHANICAL nEsrA'roH APPARATUS.

. speciecatier. of Letters Patent; Patented Mar, 15,'192'L Application filed September 24, 1918. Serial No. 255,517.

To a-ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that i, LUIGI BELLANI, a subject or the King of italy, residing at Milan, Kingdom of italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Despatch Apparatus, o'l' which the following is a specifica-tion. y i

The invention. relates to a mechanical despatch apparatus ot' the type which comprises two carrying cables and continuous tractor cable, constructed and arranged in, such a manner as to reduce to a minimum the weight of its constituent members, as well as the time necessary for its erection and dismounting, all the horizontal strains being equalized by the employment oi: stays secured to the ground while the vertical strains are borne solely by supporting trames..

In the accomp anying drawings- Figure l is an elevation of the apparatus at a sending station.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. l Fig. 3 is an elevation of the apparatusfa a return station. i

Fig. 4 is a plan ofthe same; and h Fig. 5 is an elevation or" one of the intermediate supports having a vcarriage of the Valtellina typefor :working with a non-Y automatic continuous movement;

The apparatus at the sending station con-V sists of a solid metal frame carrying` the various mechanisms, that is to say, a main pulley A with its shaft B and supports therefor, a counter pulley C and its axle, a

bevel gear D, a speed reducer Erauniversal;`

joint F provided with -a hand-o aerated controlling lever G,f a-pedal brake I and a niotor M. The said apparatus is placed on the ground and is iiXed to the earth by means of pointed feet or pegs L without any special foundations and is then firmly secured by means of stays R formed of metal cord fixed by means of iron stakes driven into the ground and provided with turnbuckles T to allow of regulating the tension of the cords. The station apparatus is also provided with guide rollers N for the tractor-cable which, consequently can assume any required inclination, and with grips 0 for the carrying cables.

The type and the arrangement of the motor group at the station can be varied, but the arrangement of pulleys must remain unchanged in order yto insure the adherence of the tractor' cable as well as the system ot staying the iron frame. T he entire arrangement, including the ironframe, is madei as light' as possible and is designed to be easily taken apart for the purpose of facilitatingv transport and erection. The sending station can be located either at the lower oir-at the upper end or" the telpher line.

The apparatus at the return station consists simply of an iron frame carrying the return pulley P with its axle. This frame,

having two feet provided with pegs Q driven into the ground, is kept rigid and in proper position with respect to the line by means of stays R of metalV cord attached to-stakes S driven into the ground. vEach stay is pro-` vided with a turnbuoklelor regulating Vdevice T. The apparatus carries the `grips U of the carrying cables and the guides V for the tractor-cable. i The intermediate supports are each formed of an iron post X composed of sections or members ot' equal length connected by means of screw-joints. V At the top of the support the 'cross bar Z carries the hinged sulplports etl on which bea-r the carrying ca es.

.Tlielowe'r cross-bar o `Vcarries thepulleys c4 on which rests the Atractor-cable guided by the iron pieces d. The post X is fiXedto the ground by means of the peg e and secured by means of stays'f iiXed to stakes g andprovided' with turnbuckles h. The type of support adopted allows of easily altering the height by varying the number of sections of which the post X is composed.V It

is thus always possible to place the supportV in proper position relatively to the linein order that the pressure exertedby the'stay cords may not be felt by the post except 'by compression. Y

The carrying cables are securely iiXed in the upper station of the aerial transport line, being here shown as wound upon a drum t' ii'Xed to an iron stake Z driven into the ground.

in the lower station the carrying cables are wound upon the drums m which are turned by means of the lever n until the required tension has been obtained. Here, also, the drums m rest upon stakes o ixed in the ground. iVhen the requiredA tension has been attained, the cables are fixed in the grips O. Along the line the carrying cables are suspended fronithe intermediate supports by means or" the hinged supports n,v

The tractor cable follows the same course as the carrying cables. In the sending stachains to which is attached the platform 'La on which are ,placed the materials to be i transported.

The form of the platform may vary to suit the nature and bulk of the said materials;also the load may be distributed over several carriages arrangedtandem fashion.-

the number thereof. depending on the length of the line. On the opposite branch travel an equal number of empty carriages, and

at each arrival of the carriages at the stationsthe motor is stopped in `order to eect the loadingand unloading 'operations which are accomplished with great rapidity..

Having now particularlyV described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

nl. In an aerial despatch system, the co1nbination of a sending apparatus and a return apparatus, each comprisinga` vertical frame supported in `theground; tractor and carrying cables connecting said frames; operating `means `for the tractor cable; a drum located in rear of each said frame, one drum being fixed and the carrying cables beingsecured at one end to said fixed drum and lbeing wound at theA other end upon the other drum; means for turning the lastnamed drum to 'adjust thetension of the carrying cables; grips for securing said carrying cables directly to said frames after their tension has been adjusted; and stakes to which said drums are directly attached anchored in the ground.

The loaded carriages alwaysY travel along one branch of the line only,

turnapparatus, each comprising a vertical,

-trame supported in the ground; a main pulley and a counter pulley mounted in the sending apparatus frame; a return pulley mounted in the return apparatus frame; an endless tractor cable passing directly around the return pulley and in an -shaped path around the main and counter pulleys; a niotor adjacent the sending apparatus frame; gearing between the motor and the main pulley, to drive the latter from the former means for controlling the motor drive; carrying cables connecting said `frames; means :tor adjusting the tension of the carryingVv cables; and means `for securing said carrying cables to said frames after their tension has beenadjusted.- l

3. In an aerial despatch system, the combination of a sending :apparatus and a re-V turn apparatus, each comprising a vertical frame supported in the ground; a main puls ley anda counter pulleyy mounted in the sending apparatus frame; a return pulley mounted in the return apparatus iframe; an endless tractor cable passing directly around the return pulley and in an B-sha'ped path around the main and counter pulleys; a motor adjacent the sending apparatus frame; gearing between the motor and the main pulley, to drive the latter from the former; means for controlling the motor drive; carrying cables connecting said frames; a drum'located in rear ofeach said frame, the carrying cables being liXed at one end to one of the drums and being wound at the other end upon the other drum; means for turning the' last-named drum to adjust the Vtension of the carrying cables; grips for securing said carrying cables to said frames after'their tension has been adjusted; and securing means for said drums anchored inthe ground. Y

In testimony whereof I'aiiix my signature.

LUIGI BELLANI. 

